Hydrocarbon-engine ignition system.



R. HU'PF.

HYDROGARBONNGINE IGNITION SYSTEM.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 15, 1906,

973,507. `Pawemea o@t.25,191o.-

nu" 30 f UNITED sTATEs AI-nIInIIT oFFIoE.

RUSSELL HUFF, oF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIGNoR, BY MEsNE AssIeNI/InNTs,.To PACKARD MOTOR YCAR COMPANY, oF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, Av COBPQRATION FMICHIGAN.

L zenlof the United' States, and residentof dersv of a four-cylinderhydrocarbon engine showingthe ignition system; Fig. 2 is a sec- 4.0-chinery.

Detroit,` lvayne county, State of Michigan, have invented certain ynewand useful Improvements in Hydrocarbon-Engine Igintio'n Systems, ofwhich the following 1s a specification. y

This invention relates to improvements in the ignition apparatus ofmultiple Cylinder hydrocarbon engines for motor vehicles.

The invention will be described in connection with the accompanyingdrawing,y in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of the cylint-ion on the line 2 of F1g.-1.;and Fig. 3 is a detail.

Referring to the drawing 10, l1, indicate two cylinder lcasings eachcomprising a pairof cylinders of a four-cylinder hydrocarbon engine, 12indicates one of the pistons, 13 a connecting rod, 14 an exhaust valveand 1 5 a mixture valve. A magneto 16 is suitably geared to the engineshaft and supplies theI current for the ignition devices. 'The 10Wtension current from the magneto passes through a conductor 17 to `acoil or transformer in box 18. The high tension current `from thetransformerpasses throu h a conductor 19 to a distributer 20 also rivnby the engine, by. means of which it is distrib-l uted to the severalcylinders and the sparks properly timed. The current from the distriburpasses to the cylinders through conductors 21 and 24 inclusive.. Thehigh and low tension circuits are completed through a ground wire 25which connects the coil with the engine or otherpart of the ma- Theconductors 17, 19 and 21 to 24 inclusive are supported by posts 26 ofinsulating material which are rigidly connected to the engine casings.These posts are set opposite the spark plugs 27 and upon each post ismounted a switch lever 28 which canbe thrown into and out of contactwith a con- .tact 29 of thespark plug. This contact is `in the form of ayoke 30 which -is detach ably connected to the spark 1u by a thumb screw31. Theswitch pre eraly'has two Specification of Letters Patent.

Application .led June 15, 1906.' Serial No. 321,936;

Adetachable y? HYDROCABIBON-ENG'I'NE IGNITION SYSTEM.

blades andthe part 2,9 is preferably cylindrical and entersbetweenY theblades, ras illus-v trated in the drawings. f

In ahigh tension ignition system it is importa-n't to 'have theconductors' thoroughly insulated to prevent leakage.- This isaccomplished by mounting the conductors in the manner described andmaintaining them separated. Another advantage nobtained lhy of the hightension circuit for f one cylinder cylinde'r'is reduced to a .is

Patented oct. 25.1.1910.

this construction is that the inductive action tioally obviated Vso thatlat-premature ignition by induction is prevented. I have found thearrangement above described to be very effective in this respect.v Inthe operation Y of Inotorcars havingv multiple-cylinder enginesA it isyimportant to be able to locate trouble with the ignition -systemquickland bythe apparatus above described I am enabled almost instantly todetect which conductor ,or sparkpllug is out of order. when trouble`occurs with any of them. Thus when there is a miss in any of thecylinders each cylinder is tested in turn by open'- ing the switches ofthe other cylin ers. Thus in a few moments each cylinder can be testedand the dificulty can be accurately located'. By using the detachableyoke contacts upon the s ark plugs I am abl'e to replace a plug wit outdiscarding the contact and Iam also able to use these yoke contacts withplugs of diiferent designand manufacture. 4

Having described my invention what I claim is,

l. In a high tensionignition system for hydrocarbon en ines for motorvehicles, the combination wit a plurality of engine cyl- .inders,-of aspark plug on each cylinder, a

post .orsupport of Insulating material adj acent to eachy spark plug, aAswitch lcarried by each sup ort and arranged to coperatewith the spari;plug, and a conductor leading to each switch, the said conductors beingseparately mounted' upon said posts.

2. In a high tensionignition system for hydrocarbon en `nesfor motorvehicles, the combination wi a lurality of en ine cylinders, of a sark'pl) e 30 on eachspark plug proug on each cy inder, a'-

vided with a Contact, a post or support of insulating material adjacentto each spark plug, a switch carried by each support and arranged tocoperatie with said contact, and a conductor leading to each switch, thesaid conductors being separately mounted upon said posts.

' 3. In a high tensionfignition system for hydrocarbon engines, thecombination with a source of low tension current and a transformer forcreating a high tension current,

of a plurality of engine cylinders, a corresponding plurality of hi htension conductors leading to the cylin ers, a distributer for directingthe current to said conductors successively, spark plugs on thecylinders, ,a post or support of insulating material `upon eachcylinder, and a switch carried b each post or support and coperatingwiththe spark plug of the corresponding cylinder, the said conductorsbeing mounted upon said posts or supports.

4. In a liigli tension ignition system for hydrocarbon engines for motorvehicles, the combination with aplurality of engine cylinders, of aspark plu on each cylinder, supporting means consisting of insulatingmaterial adjacent each spark plug,.switches carried by said supportingmeans and arranged to coperate with the respective spark plugs, and hightension conductors mounted on said unsulating supporting` means, one ofsaid conductors leading to each of said switches.

In testirnon whereof I aiiix my signature in presence o two witnesses.

` l RUSSELL HUFF.

Vitnesses:

HERBERT M. ALLIsoN, MARK C. TAYLOR.

